Issue - meetings

This report presents the Committee with its rolling annual Work Programme.

The Committee received a report that set out the Committee’s rolling annual Work Programme.

Councillor Lawrence attended the meeting and made a statement.

The following matters were considered:

a)             Proposed items from Cllr Ames.  The Chair explained that a further proposal for scrutiny had been made by Cllr Ames and it was for the Committee to decide if this goes on the workplan.  He explained that the method of getting an item on the agenda was not prescriptive and he was minded to request that Standards & Constitution Committee look at amending the framework document.  The item proposed by Cllr Ames was do with Urgent Decision 158 (UD158) and the process in which that was taken. It was an exempt officer decision.  That decision could not be reviewed or undone but the committee could propose improvements to the process for future use.

b)             Legal Powers.  A Member stated that he had never had an answer to his previous question on whether the officer who took UD158 had the power to make that decision an exempt one.  He also stated that officers needed to make it clear in future why something was exempt and the legal basis for that.  The Principal Solicitor stated that he was unable to respond to that question tonight and that it would form part of the scrutiny debate.

Cllr Ames proposed an additional item for the workplan looking at the processes of exempt urgent decisions.  This was seconded by Cllr Bridger. 

Following consideration the Committee resolved (6 for and chair not voting) to agree the motion put by Cllr Ames.

c)             Workplan. The Chair explained that the additional item would be put onto the future work programme and brought to Committee as soon as possible.  The work programme needed to be populated with statutory items for the coming year.  The item previously proposed by Cllr Ames was listed on the workplan for March because there were no further committee dates beyond March.  It was reported that it was extremely unlikely it would come to the March committee meeting but that the committee would be notified as soon as possible if it wasn’t.

Following consideration the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note and agree the ongoing Work Programme as presented in Section 2.